Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Gonzalo Sanabria: Self-Proclaimed Champion of The Environment, What a Laugh! By Geniusofdespair

I am not that offended when politicians make puffy claims on their campaign pieces. But this one takes the cake! I cannot believe that Gonzalo Sanabria claims he will protect the environment. Every environmentalist in Miami Dade County knows of his record on the Planning Advisory Board. Puleez! Now you are on my turf Gonzalo. A Sierra Club activist said:

"How many years did we wish for him to be removed from the Miami-Dade Planning Advisory Board...too many to count."

I find Gonzalo Sanabria's disingenuous claim: "Protect the Environment" offensive. Here are two better suited slogans for Gonzalo Sanabria and at least they are true: "I Support Rezoning Rights So Developers Can Go Wild" or "Smart Growth is For Stupid People, Not Me."

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is more like "take Corals Gables"...

Isn't politics grand? Who has to tell the truth?

Anonymous said...

Armando Gutierrez's wife is on the MPO with Gonzalo Sanabria. Gonzalo Sanabria has two corporations with Rodney Barreto. Are any contracts going to Rodney from the MPO? I would be interested to know.

Geniusofdespair said...

MDX
Members Present: Members Absent:
Maritza Gutierrez, Chair
Robert W. Holland, Vice Chair
Carlos A. Lacasa, Treasurer
Maurice Ferré
Nick A. Inamdar
Arthur Noriega
Gerry O’Reilly
Gonzalo Sanabria
Yvonne Soler McKinley
Jorge M. Vigil

Felix Lasarte

Anonymous said...

Gonzolo is typical of lousy politicians and the construction big wigs who have jumped on the "green" bandwagon because it is popular. They don't mean it; don't believe it. The adage, "actions speak louder than words" applies here. I have been an environmentalist for decades and Gonzolo ain't no friend of mine.

Anonymous said...

Well Sanabria could well win if people dont get out and work and vote for Maria Anderson. He has put scads of his own money into the campaign and his record, a sad one, speaks for itself. Maria has unfairly been tarred by the Herald front page article. Her leadership on many issues has been outstanding and she is a dedicated foe regarding the UDB issue. But complacency and Armando Gutierrez' smoke screen could bring this sleezzybag into the CG commission, a distinct loss.

Anonymous said...

g

Why did you guys remove my comments?

I didn't defame anyone.

Are you really that deep into Anderson's campaign?

m

Geniusofdespair said...

m your comment is not on this post...it is on the previous post about Roxcy....we didn't remove it.

Anonymous said...

Your claim that Gonzalo is a "big developer" is not supported by evidence. Gonzalo's goal to protect the enviroment has been accomplished with his responsible efforts on the Historic Preservation Board, such as the most recent charge led by Gonzalo to reject the unecessary dockmaster office at Matheson Hammock Park (read the news article here: http://www.gonzalosanabria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/proposed-dockmaster-office-rejected.pdf) Maria Anderson is leading a smear campaign against Gonzalo, painting him as a developer when really his record shows for itself. Do the City a favor and educate yourselves on Gonzalo's record before making sweeping generalizations like he is a "developer".

Geniusofdespair said...

Putz. Go to his website where he says he is a developer. HE SAYS IT.... BTW, Historic preservation is a stretch to be included under the environment. So he actually means he is a preservationist by closing down a dockmaster office? Putz again.

Geniusofdespair said...

Gonzalo's website is Real Estate Works:
Real Estate Works is one of Florida’s premier, privately-owned, boutique real estate investment, DEVELOPMENT and consulting firms.

Pavilion I - Hillsborough County, Florida

A 16-acre, $22 million, 120,000 square foot retail development parcel with major food and national anchors. Project completion date is 2008.



Pavilion II - Hillsborough County, Florida

A 13-acre parcel adjacent to Pavilion I being developed as a 120,000 square-foot office-flex project with a 2-acre retail development. Project start up date is mid-summer of 2007. Project value is $24 million.



Pavilion III - Hillsborough County, Florida

A 4-acre Phase III development designated for either a 150-room hotel or a 50,000 square-foot mini-warehouse development. Project value is $8 million



Meadow Brook III – WestChase, Tampa area

A 4-acre mixed use retail office center that will be a 29,000 square foot project. Startup date is scheduled for December, 2007. Project value is $9 million.



Aviation - Florida

A combined 100,000 square-foot modern aircraft facility. Projected start up will be in the first quarter of 2008. Project value of $10 million.



Norfolk – Norfolk, Virginia

An existing 500,000 square foot former Koger Office Park in which REW is part of the equity capital group.



Shoppes of Pinecrest – Pinecrest, Florida

An existing 13,000 square foot retail center near Dadeland.



Renaissance – Clearwater, Florida
A 214-unit sold out apartment condominium conversion venture in Clearwater Florida with REW as a capital partner.

Geniusofdespair said...

Here are two articles on Gonzalo Sanabria --THE DEVELOPER!!!


A developer (GONZALO SANABRIA) drops idea for office and retail complex.

By ANGELA DELGADO
The Tampa Tribune
TOWN 'N COUNTRY - A developer has done an about-face on plans to build an office/retail complex near
Charleston Corners and plans to seek approval for a town house project instead.
The developer had expressed interest in attending the Charleston Corners Homeowners Association meeting
Thursday to discuss plans for the office and retail project - a proposal that drew opposition from many association
members.
On Thursday morning, association President Jordan Lewis got a phone call from the community's attorney.
"He received a letter saying representatives [of the developer] would not be attending tonight's meeting," Lewis
said Thursday.
The reason became clear Friday. The developer, Real Estate Works, is not requesting a zoning change to build a
commercial complex at Waters Avenue and Montague Street. Now the focus is on town homes, said President Gonzalo
Sanabria.
"We started looking at the economics of the marketplace and tenants, and we thought it wasn't worthwhile to
pursue, aside from the fact that the neighbors would prefer to have something more in line [with a] residential type of
use," he said. "We understand that [the] residential [market] is on a flat slope, but we're patient; we'll just wait. In the
meantime we'll develop the paperwork and process what we need to do so when the market picks up, we'll be there."
Initially, Real Estate Works proposed a 26,000-square-foot commercial development on the 9.2-acre wooded area
at Waters Avenue and Montague Street, but neighbors were concerned it wouldn't fit with the style of the community.
Charleston Corners consists of 417 houses and 80 town homes. The complex would have been the first retail
development on Waters Avenue from west of Sheldon Road to Countryway Boulevard. The land is zoned semipublic,
which allows the construction of a church or a day care on the property.

The developer was supposed to attend a land-use hearing with the board of county commissioners to discuss the
first proposal Oct. 9, but the meeting was postponed until Oct. 23. The new site plan will be revealed then, and
Sanabria said the town homes will be low density.
Calls to Lewis for reaction about the development change weren't returned by press time, but Thursday he said he
planned to mail a letter to residents to update them on the latest land-use hearing date.
Reporter Angela Delgado can be reached at (813) 865-1501 or adelgado@tampatrib.com
Copyright © 2007, The Tampa Tribune and may not be republished without permission. E-mail
library@tampatrib.com
------------
BYLINE: TRACY SMALL, Times Correspondent
SECTION: NORTH OF TAMPA; Pg. 5
LENGTH: 441 words
DATELINE: COUNTRYWAY
HIGHLIGHT: Residents oppose the plan, and economics make profitability uncertain.
A County Commission discussion, planned for Oct. 9, about a proposed shopping center in the heart of residential
Countryway may be postponed indefinitely.
REAL ESTATE WORKS, which owns 9 acres of undeveloped land, including some wetlands, originally planned to file an application with the county to place retail stores or office buildings at the northwest corner of Montague Street and
Waters Avenue.

Tenants might include a coffee house chain, a cell phone outlet or an ice cream store in the 28,000 square feet available for construction.

"We are human beings and want to be good neighbors as well," said GONZALO SANABRIA, Real Estate Works
president.

The Charleston Corners and Countryway homeowners associations oppose commercial use of the land. However, they have said they would accept other public uses, such as a church, fire station or a preschool.
"They (the developer) are asking for a minor modification to develop an area that has already been approved for semipublic use to commercial use such as retail stores and offices," said Susan Mariner, senior planner for Hillsborough County's planning and growth management department. She added that if the project went through, the style of
buildings would stay in line with existing homes at Charleston Corners, with features such as a pitched roof.
County staff members would oppose a convenience store, she said, and all retail stores or offices would have
limited hours of operation.
Still, homeowners want the area to remain semipublic, and the reaction to commercial use has been negative.
"The concerns we have include traffic congestion because of limited access in and out of the complex and the
increase of U-turns causing the probability of more accidents," said James Kannard, president of Countryway's master
homeowners association.

Kannard also is concerned about the safety of children walking to Alonso High School and passing an empty
parking lot early in the morning.
Jordan Lewis, president of the Charleston Corners homeowners association said, "We're not opposing that the piece
of property be developed. We just want the property to remain semipublic, keeping with the understanding that
homeowners were presented with when we purchased our homes."
Other neighbors say the project offers no positives because the handful of jobs that would be created would pay low
wages.
Sanabria said there was some talk earlier about building townhomes at the site. Lewis said he was unaware of any
such agreement.
All of that might be moot, however, as the economic downturn is slowing the project. Sanabria now says it would
not be profitable to build commercially in the current economy.

Anonymous said...

ANONYMOUS ABOVE GoD's Posts:

You should know that Genius and Gimleteye always have evidence. You my friend should do your homework.

Anonymous said...

So he is a developer!AND? Is there something evil or wrong with that, is being a developer akin to being a murder or rapist? Geez.... Doctors kill people all the time, lawyers defend scumbags, Architects design crappy looking building (for developers no less), Bankers make stupid loans, etc etc etc.
The fact that Mr. S is a developer should not be the epicenter of this campaign, Ms Anderson got a few serious problems of her own.
Genius please show some balance here, doesn't mean you have to endorse GS but be even handed Ms. Andersons no prize either.

Geniusofdespair said...

Pay attention...people are saying he is NOT a developer. I am saying he is. That is the point. You are off point last person.

The fact that he was on the planning advisory board for many many years is what I am focused on. He made many bad votes.

You are new to this blog, that is obvious. Why don't you read some of our prior posts. You react without thinking and without knowing. And your name is stupid.

Anonymous said...

Please I've read enough anti-developer tirades on this blog to last me a lifetime even if I lived as long as Methusala. "bad votes" according to who?
Don't get me wrong I might agree with your opinion on some of those votes but Anderson a joke and IMHO I would rather sit at home punching myself in the gonads before voting for either of these two.
Any other name suggestions Stupid is so passe.

Anonymous said...

Seriously. The problem isn't that he's a developer in and of itself. The problem is that he's making this entire campaign on the basis that MA was too close to developers, which aside from being untrue, is completely asinine. Look at Gonzalo's campaign contributions, and they're 90%+ developers. Not just that, but he voted to move the UDB OVER, and OVER, and OVER again. AND, his own office says "DEVELOPER" on it! Just drive there and check it out for yourself!!

Anonymous said...

Come on now, isn't Gonzalo Sanabria the same guy who lent his campaign $100,000?

And isn't this the guy who paid the third candidate to get out of this race? Furthermore, isn't he the guy paying Vince Damian to get the Coral Gables PAC to recommend his election?

Coral Gables deserves better than Gonzalo. This is not the City of Miami, this is Coral Gables.

Come on good people of Coral Gables, wake up and vote, before the machine being oiled by the executive director of the Republican party steals your absentee votes and this election.

Get to work Coral Gables and VOTE!

The writer who wishes to be called the shadow behind the Genius of Despair!

Geniusofdespair said...

Stupid works for me for you...

Bad votes according to me. This is our blog, we get to judge. If you believe that it is imperative to move the urban development boundary than you would agree with Sanabria and his votes. You might not like this blog very much if you agree with him. We are a broken record on the UDB line.

In the right hand corner at the top of the page is a button. Push it. It tells you how to make your own blog. Do it. Then you can be king of your own blog world and you can write whatever suits you.

There is only one rule on this blog: Don't annoy the blogger. You can disagree, just don't be annoying. You are annoying.

Anonymous said...

Who cares they could move the UDB to Naples Beach tommorrow and the worms would be feasting on everyone reading this blog long before anything would be built out there.
WHY?
1- Absorption nobody would buy anything especially out there with all thevacant foreclosures and tons of empty condos.
2-Traffic again with all the units closer to civilization why buy a house in Lakes by the Everglades
3-Banks are NOT financing much if any new construction down here and won't be for some time.
4- Water capacity, there ain't none
unless a bunch of camels are planning to buy houses water will be an issue.

I think for the next 10 to 20 years you will see a move towards infill no matter what the politicians do, becuase the market (ye of little faith) will move in that direction if for no other reason than necessity.

And it's not just your constant dumping on development its your knee jerk holier than though anti capitalistic rants and fawning on Obama that I find completely illogical and biased.

But You are absolutely right this is your BLOG and I am free to start my own (easy for a "genius" to say), but that's too complicated for an Inellectually Challenged person like me (see my name). But do not worry I will cease and desist from posting here (I have said my piece).

Adios, Au Revoir,Adiau, Arivaderci,Sayonara, Good Bye

Geniusofdespair said...

Stupid: For the record, I don't do the capitalist Rants or the fawning...

I am sorry you didn't read our index on the UDB. You might have learned why we say what we say...

Good luck to you...

Geniusofdespair said...

Sorry folks, you can send Volsky articles all you want, they aren't getting posted here. That would be like posting Bill-O. Not going to happen. I am sure you will find another blog where you can post them.

Anonymous said...

I would rather sit at home punching myself in the gonads before voting for either of these two.

Ouuuu. That sounds kinky.

However, on two other issues in alluded to by "Stupid" aka Poster Formerly Known as saint Suburb Blasphemer of the EYE:

1. A developer is a developer is a developer. You can ALWAYS tell by the votes or the absences during the critical votes.

2. If the developer has never been in an elective seat, then you can tell what their leanings are by who he/she plays with and where the money comes from during the campaign. It doesn't hurt to see where their money went for other campaigns.

By the way, I think this person who calls himself Stupid (Poster Formerly Known as saint Suburb Blasphemer of the EYE) already has been hitting himself on the gonads, fortunately for him, they seem to be strategically placed right between his ears.

Geniusofdespair said...

Strangely, I am going to miss Stupid, formerly known as Saint Suburb Blasphemer of the EYE.

Anonymous said...

Oh, fret not.

He will be back... surely as a wolf in sheep's clothing. You will be able to ID him by the flat place between his ears.